Frequently Asked Questions

About Your Visa or MasterCard

Q. Where can I use this card?
A. You can use your card to make purchases at any merchant that accepts Visa® or MasterCard® prepaid cards. Some restrictions apply. If you have a virtual Visa or MasterCard, your card can be used at online merchants as well as for catalog and telephone orders. If you have a plastic Visa or MasterCard, your card can be used at both online and at retail locations.
Q: What restrictions may apply to the use of your card?
A: Below are some examples of the merchants where your Reward card will be declined:
  • Accommodations
    • Lodging - Hotels, Motels, Resorts
    • Timeshares
  • Financial Services
    • Debt Collection Agencies
    • Debt Repayment
    • Financial Institution - Manual Cash Disbursement
      • Face-to-face cash disbursement with a bank teller
    • Insurance Sales, Underwriting and Premiums
    • Money Orders
    • Money Transfers/MoneySend
      • A transaction in which funds are delivered or made available to another person or account
    • Point of Interaction Funding Transactions
      • Such as the purchase of gift cards or funding other prepaid cards
    • Quasi-Cash
      • Purchases that are directly convertible to cash like cryptocurrency or other foreign currencies, lottery tickets, casino chips, money orders, etc.
    • Securities-Brokers and Dealers
    • Wire Transfers
  • Gambling
    • Betting - Sportsbook, Fantasy Sports, Social Gaming
    • Gambling - Horse, Dog Racing, State Lottery
    • Gambling Transactions
    • Government-Owned Lottery
    • Government-Licensed Casinos - Online or Internet Gambling
    • Government-Licensed Horse/Dog Racing
  • Rental Services
    • Boat Leases and Boat Rentals
    • Car Rental Agencies
    • DVD/Video Tape Rental Stores
    • Equipment Rental and Leasing Services, Furniture Rental, Tool Rental
    • Motorhome and Recreational Vehicle Rental
    • Truck Rental
  • Transportation Services
    • Bridge and Road Fees, Tolls
    • Motor Freight Carriers,Trucking-Local/Long Distance, Moving and Storage Companies, Local Delivery
    • Public Warehousing-Farm Products, Refrigerated Goods, Household Goods Storage
  • Miscellaneous
    • Automated Fuel Dispensers
      • Pay at the pump transactions
    • Bail and Bond Payments
    • Buying/Shopping Clubs and Services
      • An intermediary that facilitates buying and shopping services for another individual or business
    • Court Costs and Child Support
    • Dating Services
    • Direct Marketing-Outbound or Inbound Telemarketing Merchants
    • Fines
    • Massage Parlors
    • Organizations, Memberships
    • Telecommunication Services
      • Including local and long-distance calls, credit card calls, calls through use of MagneticStripe-reading telephones, and fax services
Q. Why is the word "Debit" on the front of the card?
A. Card issuers are required to label non-credit products with the term "Debit". However, when prompted at checkout, you may choose either credit or debit (if you have a PIN) at the point of sale to complete a transaction.
Q. Can exchange this card for its cash value or can I get cash at an ATM?
A. Your card cannot be exchanged for cash value, and it cannot be used to withdraw cash an ATM or to request cashback at the point of sale.
Q. How is my card different than a credit card?
A. Your credit card gives you a line of credit in advance of receiving funds which you have to pay back. Your debit card already has the funds loaded to it. You can spend the funds as you see fit, but you can’t spend more than your current available card balance.
Q. Will I receive a paper statement for my card?
A. All transactions that you make with your card are available online. Log into cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com and click on the Card Image to view your complete transaction history, including payments and spend activity. There is also an option to print your transaction details.
Q. What is the difference between the Reward Card(s) I’ve received through this Program and a Gift Card that I might purchase for myself?
A. Based on the type of Program under which your Reward Card has been issued to you, the Reward Card may be subject to certain restrictions, as agreed upon by the company that issued you the Reward, that a Gift Card you acquire on your own might not be. For example, your Reward Card comes with an expiration date and may also be subject to other restrictions, e.g. that it cannot be used to pay for gas at a pump. For specifics of the restrictions that apply to your Reward Card, please consult the rules relating to the Program for which you were award the Reward Card.
Q. Why did my card pre-authorize a fee(s) in excess of the cost of the services or merchandise?

A. Some merchants will take a verification fee off the Reward Card to verify the authenticity(s) of the Reward Card and prevent an overcharge. This fee is rebated after the completion of the purchase or after the verification process (the Verification process time may vary from Merchant to Merchant) if the charges do not exceed the original amount paid. If the cost of the services or merchandise, after the verification, is not enough to cover the cost of the purchase, this will cause the transaction to be declined or the verification fee to not be rebated.

For example, restaurants and other food service companies (e.g. coffee shops, bakeries, etc), as well as other merchants that customarily accept gratuities, may add a 20% pre- authorization fee to a charge. This fee is placed back on the Reward Card after the completion of the purchase or after the pre- authorization process has finished provided that the final amount paid does not exceed the original charges. For example, if you eat a meal that costs $20.00, a verification fee of $4.00 may be added to the charges to cover a tip of up to 20%. If the tip is less than $4.00, the balance will be refunded to your Reward Card (Refunds may take several days).

Gas stations, hotels, and airlines often take large pre-authorization. Provided you to not have excess charges at these locations (such as for movie, minibar or room service fees at a hotel), this amount will be refunded to your Reward Card. Refunds for these merchants may take up to 90 business days. Because of this, we suggest not using your Reward Card at Gas stations, or for hotels or airlines.

Please note that the pre-authorization fee has nothing to do with us here at the Virtual Reward Center. The fee is taken by the merchant. Unfortunately, we have no way to speed up the pending charge.

Managing Your Card

Q. How do I activate my card?
A. If you received your card with an activation sticker on the front, simply call the phone number on the sticker and follow the instructions or activate via the website by going to virtualrewardcenter.com/activate. If you do not have an activation sticker on the front of your card, your card is already activated and ready to use.
Q. How do I view my card/transaction activity online?
A. All transactions that you make with your card are available for viewing online. Click on the Card Image to view your complete transaction history, including payments and spend activity. There is also an option to print your transaction details.
Q. My card says “DEBIT” on it – do I need to have a PIN to use it?
A. You may choose to use your card with or without a PIN. To use your card without a PIN, you must select “Credit” when you make a purchase. If you prefer to select “Debit” when you make a purchase, you must assign a PIN and then enter that PIN when prompted at purchase.
Q. How do I set or change my PIN?
A. Call 1-646-736-2250 or update your PIN online at cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com by signing in, selecting the applicable card, and clicking the 'Reset PIN' button. To keep your card balance secure, you must protect the confidentiality of your PIN. If you forget your PIN or believe that your PIN is no longer secure, contact Customer Service immediately. We advise against writing your PIN on your card or keeping a notation of your PIN with your card. You are responsible for the protection of your PIN and you will not be able to recover funds lost as a result of unauthorized use of your PIN.
Q. How do I change the address associated with the card?
A. If you have moved or the address to which your card was mailed was incorrect, please update your information by logging into cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com and clicking on the Profile link at the top of the page. If you need assistance updating your account information, please contact the Virtual Reward Center using the number on the back of your card.
Q. Does my card ever expire?
A. Yes. The date on which your card expires is printed on the front of your card. After your card expires, the remaining balance on your card will no longer be available.
Q. How do I cancel my card?
A. If you wish to cancel your card, please contact Customer Service by using the number on the back of your card. However, the card has no cash value, and your card cannot be redeemed for cash.
Q. What should I do if my card is lost or stolen?
A. Report a lost or stolen card immediately by calling the Virtual Reward Center at 1-800-604-1815. Our ability to recover funds on your behalf is in subject to the Card and Program Terms and Conditions, but immediate reporting will increase the likelihood of recovery and reduce the likelihood that those funds will be spent before we can freeze your account.

Shopping With Your Card

Q. How do I use my card to purchase goods and services?
A. You can use your card to make purchases at any merchant (online or in-store) that accepts Visa or MasterCard prepaid cards (depending on the brand presented on the front of your card). To complete a transaction, select "credit" as your payment option to indicate you will sign to authorize your transaction. If the funds are available in your account, the purchase will be approved. For US cards, you may also use the "debit" functionality to complete a transaction by entering a PIN at the point of sale.
Q. Why does my card not work when I try to pay-at-the-pump?
A. When paying for fuel at the pump, nearly all gas stations pre-authorize your card for $75 – $125.  That’s because they don’t know in advance how much gas you are going to pump and their technology may not be smart enough to know what available balance is available on your card.  So, even if you have enough money on your card to cover the amount you’d like to purchase, you still may get declined. To avoid this, just take your card into the gas station and tell the attendant in advance how much gas you would like to purchase.
Q. How do I shop online using my card?
A. Shopping online is easy. Just follow these simple steps:
  • Select the items you want to buy.
  • Proceed to checkout.
  • Select Visa or MasterCard as your payment option, depending on your card type.
  • Enter your 16-digit card number, and the 3-digit Security Code (if required, it can be found on the back of the card and it is the last three digits printed in the signature panel), and your expiration date.
  • Enter the billing address EXACTLY as you have entered it when you registered your Visa or MasterCard.
  • That’s it. The merchant will process your transaction.
Q. When shopping in a store, how can I split a payment between my card and another form of payment?
A. If your purchase amount is more than the available balance on your card and you’d like to perform a split transaction, tell the cashier that you’d like to use two forms of payment for your purchase. Use your card as the first form of payment and tell the cashier the exact amount to swipe the card for. Pay the difference with another form of payment. Please note, this function is not available at all merchants.
Q. When shopping online, can I split a payment between my card and a credit card?
A. You can only split a payment if the online merchant permits "split" payments. Please note however, that most online stores only accept one credit card for payment. And since your card is processed like a Visa or MasterCard transaction, you likely won’t be able to enter more than one card type to complete the transaction.
Q. What if the amount of my purchase is more than my available balance?
A. In this case, your purchase will be declined, unless you have arranged to perform a split payment.
Q. Why did my balance only decrease by $1 after I made a purchase at a merchant?
A. Often, online merchants like iTunes do not immediately charge customers for the full amount of the purchase. Many will "authorize" (temporarily deduct) $1 from your balance to verify your account is valid and has a balance. In most cases, merchants that operate in this manner will debit your balance for the full amount of the purchase and return the "authorized" $1 to your balance. The merchant may take up to 30 days to return these funds to your balance.
Q. What if a transaction is not approved by an online store?
A. In the unlikely event that your transaction is declined by an online store, please make sure that you have done the following:
  • Verified that the merchant accepts signature based Visa or MasterCard debit cards.
  • Selected "credit card" as the payment method.
  • Correctly entered your 16-digit card number, your card expiration date and your Security code (found on the back of your plastic card or flipping the image of your virtual card displayed on cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com).
  • Entered your billing address exactly as it appears on your Visa or MasterCard card account.
  • Ensured that the balance on your card is sufficient to cover the amount of your purchase plus any applicable taxes and shipping costs.
If these tips do not resolve your issue, please contact Customer Service by using the number printed on the back of your card.
Q. What if I received a refund from a merchant after my reward has expired?
A. If you are seeking a refund from a merchant close to or after your Card expiration date, please request that the funds be returned to you by some other means, such as on a merchant card or in cash. You will not be able to use the Card after it expires. If funds are returned after the Card has expired, please contact us by calling the Virtual Reward Center at 1-800-604-1815 and we will have a replacement card issued to you for the refunded amount.

About Your Cash Payout

Q. Why do I need my identity verified?
A. Regulations such as the Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering Law (BSA/AML) require that financial institutions handling your funds perform identity verification to help limit suspicious or fraudulent activity. The information you provide must match what’s on your government issued drivers license or ID card.
Q. What happens if I fail identity verification?
A. Reach out to paymentsupport@virtualrewardcenter.com for assistance.
Q. Is there a difference between adding debit card or bank account details?
A. Either option is supported. If adding a card, be sure the expiration date has not yet passed.
Q. How long can I expect my payment to take?
A. Your payment will reach your bank account in 1-2 business days.
Q. What does this transaction show as in my bank account?
A. For Debit Card: Debit Card Medmatics LLC
For Bank: ACH STRIPE TYPE: TRANSFER
Q. What if the payment shows as complete, but is not showing up in my bank account?
A. Reach out to paymentsupport@virtualrewardcenter.com for assistance.
Q. What happens if I get another payment from the same place?
A. You will receive an email notifying you of any payouts that are initiated to you. Future Cash Payouts will automatically be deposited to your bank account.
Q. How do I update my bank account details for a future Cash Payout?
A. Login to cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com, and click “Change Payout Information” under your account page.
Q. Can I enter credit card details for my payout?
A. Debit card details are required when choosing 'Add A Card' option.
Q. Can I enter savings account details for my payout?
A. Checking account details are required when choosing 'Add A Bank' option.

Security And Privacy

Q. How do I know my personal and card information is secure?
A. All transactions take place on a secure server, and all of your personal and card information is encrypted using a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). We encourage you to carefully review our Privacy and Security Policies.